Radiator cap



Oct. 5 1926.'

J. F. WHITE RADIATOR CAP File Dec. 1, 1921 Patented Get. 5, 1926.

UNETE STATES 1,601,7aa PATENT orric.

JOHN F. WHITE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WHITE PRODUCTS COMIANY,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS. l

RADIATOR CAI.

Application filed December 1, 1921. seriaiNo. 519,038.

The present invention relates to closurefastening means, and has for itsprimary object the provision of improved means embodied in an automobileradiator cap for securing the cap and any instruments or ornamentsassociated therewith against removal while permitting of a limiteddisplacement of the cap sufiicient to giveunobstructed access to theinterior of the radiatorA through the nipple thereof which is normallyclosed by the cap.

lWhile the foregoing statement is indicative of the general nature andpurpose of the invention, other objects and advantages which are notspecifically set forth will be obvious upon a full understanding of thepresent device, the invention consisting substantially in the novelconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings, andfinally pointed out in the appended claims.

Although this disclosure is confined to one particular structuralembodiment, it is to be understood that the same is presented hereentirely for the purpose of exempliiication, and is not intended to beconstrued as limiting the invention short of its true and mostcomprehensive scope ink the art.

In the drawings- 1Fig. 1 is a side view of a radiator cap assemblyembodying the features of this invention, portions of the constructionbeing shown in vertical section;

Fig. 2 is similar view of the assembly taken substantially' at rightangles to Fig; 1 and showing the cap in its open position;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the sleeve .associated with the radiatornipple;

et is a side view of the anchor for the cap z Fig. 5 is a verticalsection of the meter-l and meter and nipple, while permitting a limiteddisplacement of the cap and meter relativeto the nipple, constitutes,with other collateral novel features, the subject-matter of the presentinvention.

An annular sleeve 13 is concentrically positioned relative to the nippleand is characterized by an eXteriorly reduced lower portion 14 which iseXteriorly threaded and screws into the -top of the nipple. This sleeve,with its associated parts, is animportant feature of the invention -forthe reason that by its employment the invention may be applied readilyto the ordinary plain radiator nipple without necessitating anymodification inthe construction of the latter. lslhile the particularnipple here illustrated is of the more common linteriorly threaded typeit will be appreciated that the sleeve 13 may be modified wit-houtdifhculty to cooperate with nipples of the less common exteriorlythreaded type.

The sleeve 13 is provided near its' top with two oppositely disposedco-aXial pins 15 which project radially from the periphery of the sleevea short distance. When the sleeve 13 is permanentlyv assembled with thenipple 10 it is desirable, for a reason hereinafter apparent, that thepins lvproject horizontally from the sleeve at a substantial angle tothe transverse axis of the automobile. In order to accomplish this inall assemblies and yet have the sleeve screwedv intoY the nipple as faras it will go, it is found advisable to employ, between the rim of thenipple and the shoulder 16 of the sleeve formed by the reduction of thelower threaded portion, one or more slightly compressible resilientwashers 17. If the sleeve screws tight with the pins 15 straight acrossor nearly so it is obviously a simple matter to re-position the pins byadding or removing a washer.

The previously mentioned cap 11 is open on its under side, and isadapted to telescope snugly-down over the upper portion ofthe sleeve 18when two oppositely ,disposed short vertical slots or grooves 18 in thecap below the varms 19 thereof are aligned vertically with theprojecting pins 15 on the sleeve, as shown in Fig. 1. These slotsterminate upwardly in a horizontally disposed annular bayonet groove 20which vis formed in the interior periphery ofthe cap adjacent the topthereof and `serves -as a movable guide channel in which the stationarypins 15 ride when the cap, after being lowered into its fully closedposition, is turned to position the arms 19 straight across the radiatorand parallel to the transverse axis of the automobile. l ust as the cap,in being lowered, reaches its fully closed position, the top of thesleeve, which is provided with an inwardly turned flange 21 for apurpose hereinafter referred to, contacts with a sealing gasket whichmay be in the form of a slightly Compressibleresilient pad 22 carried bythe cap 11 against the under side of the closed top thereof. By applyinga downward pressure to the cap after this Contact has occured the padwill yield sufficiently to permit the bayonet groove 2O to alignhorizontally with the pins 15, whereupon the cap may be turned underfrictional resistance to a position with its arms 19 properly disposed.1t will be appreciated `from this construction that, dne to the grippingfrictional action of the pad 22 on the sleeve 13, accidental movement ofthe cap under the continued vibration and jars of the automobileincident to travel is effectively prevented.

In order to prevent the removal of the sleeve 13 from the .nipple 10after the former has once been properly positioned as described, on thelatter, two vertical holes 23 are provided in the sleeve 13 on oppositesides thereof, preferably piercing also the pins 15. These holes extenddownwardly from the top of the sleeve to a point ljust short of thebottom thereof, and, commencing from the sleeve shoulder 16, are exposedand extend downwardly to their extremities as semi-cylindrical groovesformed in the sides of the threaded reduced portion let of the sleeve.Pins 2e are inserted in these holes from above and remain with theirlower ends flush with the sleeve shoulder 16 while the sleeve is beingscrewed to its proper position on the nipple. Then this position of thesleeve has been attained the pins 2A are driven downwardly into thesemicylindrical grooves in the sides of the reduced portion 14. As nocomplementary grooves are present in the nipple to form the other halvesof the holes for the pins, the pins cut such vertical grooves in thethreads of the nipple as they are forced into their lowest positions. lfany portions of the pins 24 still project from the top of the sleevethese are out off flush with the top, whereby any possibility ofremoving the pins is eliminated. lt will be appreciated that, throughthis interlocking arrangement of the sleeve with the nipple by theemployment of the pins 24, the sleeve, while extremely easy to attach,is permanently fastened to the nipple and cannot be removed.

The motor meter 2 is provided with a circularly flanged pedestal 25which seats in a relieved central portion of the top of the cap 11 uponone or more resilient washers 26. The threaded stem 27 of the meter eX-tends downwardly from the pedestal 25 through an aperture 2S in the topof the cap. This aperture is usually larger than required for the meter'stem of ordinary size, in orderto accommodate meters having oversizestems. The pedestal 25, however, is seated in the relieved portion ofthe top of the cap, and is accordingly centered relative to the same.About the sides of the aperture 28 the top of the cap is flangeddownwardly into a depending` band 29.

A conical nut 30 engages the lower portion of the stem 27 below the band29, and, when turned into its highest position on the stem, bearstightly against the bottom of said band. In order that the stem of themeter 12, like the pedestal thereof, will be centered relative to thecap, the top face of the nut 30 is annularly recessed about its bore toreceive the bottom portion of the band 29.

A set screw 31 is passed through the nut 30 into the threaded borethereof to engage` against the stem of the meter and prevent removaltherefrom of the nut. `While the nut is being tightened against the band29 on the stem 2S, the screw 31 projects from the nut and provides meansfor turning the latter. After the nut is properly positioned the screwis turned in as far as possible and the head and exposed portion of theshank thereof broken off flush with the surface of the nut. ln order topermit this readily, the shank of the screw intermediate its end ispreferably weakened by grooving, as shown in Fig. 7. Because of theconical surface of the mit 30, a secure grip cannot be had thereon by awrench or other tool for the purpose of removing the nut from the stemof the meter.

The previously mentioned resilient pad 22 disposed between the top ofthe sleeve 13 and the under side of the top of the cap 11 is centrallyapertnred and tits around the band 29 of the cap. Below the pad 22, andfilling the remaining space lengthwise of the band 29 between the padand top surface of the nut 30 projecting radially of the band, isinterposed the circular medial connecting portion 32 of a depending yoke33, which, li re the pad 22, is centrally apertured to vlit around theband 29 of the cap. Because of the fact that the nut 30 seats tightlyagainst the bottom of the band 29 of the cap before frictionallyengaging to any great extent th portion 32 of the yoke, the yoke maybeturned relative to the cap after the motor meter has been rigidlypositioned on the cap by the nut. This turning of the yoke is furtherprovided for by the fact that the pad 22 on the upper side thereof willyield sufficiently to permit a turning` of the yoke without an otherwisenecessary small amount of play of thel latter on' the band of the cap.

The yoke 33 is provided on opposite sides of its central aperturedportion 32 with de'- pe-nding integral arms 34 which eXtend downwardlythrough the sleeve 13 and parallelto the stem of the meter :to a pointwhich is below the sleeve when the cap is in its seated position on thenipple. These yoke arms at their lowest extremities ai'e pivotallyconnected by heavy rivets 35, or other suitable means, to upwardlyprojecting ears 36 carried on the upper end of an annular anchor orretaining ring 37 at opposite sides thereof. This anchor has an outsidediameter which is slight-ly less than the inside diameter of the sleeve13 below the flange 21 at the top thereof, and is reduced in diameter atits top and accordingly across its ears 36 to permit the passage of theears upwardly past the flange 21 when it is de.- sired to raise and turnback the cap from the nozzle for the purpose of filling the radiator.Because of the flange 21 on the sleeve, however, the anchor propercannot be ldrawn upwardly past that point.

From the foregoing description it will be appreciated that a capconstruction is here presented which permits the raising and lateraldisplacement, without detachment and removal, of the cap and appliancecarried thereby for the purpose of giving unobstructed access to theradiator nipple.

I claim:

1. Closure fastening means comprising, in combination with a nipple, asleeve in permanent engagement with the nipple, a cap adapted to closethe passage through'the sleeve, means associated with the cap and sleevefor effecting a detachable engagement of the former to the latter, amember interposed between the cap and sleeve to frictionally resistturning movement of the former relative to the latter, and an anchor ofgreater size than the passage through the sleeve coupled permanentlywit-h the cap and positioned in the nipple below the top of the sleeve.

2. Closure fastening means comprising, in combination with a nipple, asleeve in permanent engagement with the nipple, a plurality of lugsprojecting from the periphery of the sleeve, a cap adapted to seat overthe sleeve and grooved to cooperate with the lugs in a bayonet joint,and an anchor of greater size than the passage through the sleeve`coupled permanently with the cap and positioned in the nipple below thetop of the sleeve.

3.. Closure fastening means comprising, in combination with a nipple, asleeve in permanent engagement with the nipple, a plurality of lugsprojecting from the periphery of the sleeve, a cap adapted to seat overthe rality of lugs projecting from the periphery of the sleeve, a capadapted to seat over the the sleeve and grooved to cooperate with thelugs in a bayonet joint, a yielding packing member interposed betweenthe cap and sleeve to frictionally resist turning movement of the formerrelative to the latter and present a fluid-tight joint therebetween, andan anchor of greater size than the passage throughv the sleeve coupledpermanently with the cap and positioned in the nipple below the top ofthe sleeve.

5. Closure fastening means comprising in combination with ascrew-threaded nipple., a sleeve associated with the nipple inscrewthreaded and subsequently keyed engagement therewith, a pluralityof lugs projecting from the periphery of the Sleeve, a cap adapted toseat over lthe sleeve and grooved to cooperate with the lugs in abayonet joint, and an anchor of greater size than the passage in thesleeve coupled permanently with the cap and positioned in the nipplebelow the top of the sleeve.

6. Closure fastening means comprising in combination with an interiorlyscrewthreaded nipple, a sleeve associated with the nipple inscrew-threaded and subsequently keyed engagement therewith, a pluralityof lugs vprojecting from the periphery of the sleeve, a cap adapted toseat over the sleeve and grooved to cooperate with the lugs in a bayonetjoint, and an anchor of greater size than the passage in the sleevecoupled permanently with the cap and positioned in the nipple below thetop of the sleeve.

7. Closure fastening means comprising, in combination with ascrew-threaded nipple, a sleeve associated with the nipple and providedwith a .screw-threaded lower portion for engagement with the same, a keydisposed in a key-way formed in the cooperating threaded portions of thesleeve and nipple, a cap adapted to close the passage, through thesleeve, means associated with the cap and sleeve for effecting adetachable engagement of the former to the latter, and an anchor ofgreater size than the passage in the sleeve coupled permanently with thecap and positioned in the nipple below the top of the sleeve.v

8. Closure fastening means comprising, in combination with aninteriorly-l screwthreadedV nipple, a sleeve associated with the nippleand provided with a reduced eXteriorly screw-threaded lower portion forengagement with the saine, a. key disposed in a key-way formed in thecooperating threaded portions of the sleeve and nipple7 a cap adapted toclose the passage through the sleeve, means associated-with the cap andsleeve for eitecting a bayonet joint engage- 10 ment of the former tothe latter, a member interposed between the cap and sleeve tofrictionally resist turning movement of the former relative to thelatter, and an anchor of greater size than the passage through thesleeve coupled permanently with the cap, and positioned in the nipplebelow the top of the sleeve.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOHN F. vWHITE.

